As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I know how scary it is to be going through some issue medically and wonder how your partner will be treated by the medical team. So far, we have been lucky and haven’t had any issues, but I have heard some horror stories from friends of mine. I found a story about a doctor at the Mayo Clinic and things she is doing to change that, specifically for breast cancer but with hopes of it growing to other cancer treatments. I hope that this is just the beginning of change and that this will continue to grow to the medical field in general and not just cancer treatments.
The Mayo Clinic has launched the Rainbows Breast Cancer Clinic in Rochester, MN. Elizabeth Cathcart-Rake, M.D., a Mayo clinic oncologist specializing in breast cancer has started this program. She launched this with the goal to support the needs of LGBTQIA+ individuals with or at risk for breast cancer. Her reason for doing this is because one of her friends was not treated with the dignity and respect that they deserved, and this gave her the drive that she needed to make this a focus point in her own practice.
After reading the article online at https://cancerblog.mayoclinic.org/2024/06/27/mayo-clinic-launches-rainbows-an-lgbtq-focused-breast-cancer-clinic/, I am optimistic about the future of healthcare for the LGBTQ+ community. For now, the clinic only specializes in breast cancer, but they are hoping to expand to other specialties. With all the stigma and discrimination LGBTQ+ community faces in the medical field, this doctor is trying to make a difference. This is just the start, and she is making sure it is handled with care for the LGBTQ+ community. If you have a few minutes to spare, you should check out the link above to the original article.
If you have any comments to add or know of other clinics like this, please share. Till next time, lead with love and light.
